


Walking the Tightrope

by sleepov3r



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, Femslash, Gay Zuko (Avatar), Girls Kissing, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Lesbian Azula (Avatar), Lesbian Ty Lee, One Shot, Zuko is there but he just stands in the background and yells, maybe a little ooc but I just want them to be happy so sue me, some sexual tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-26
Updated: 2020-06-26
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:09:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24920602
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sleepov3r/pseuds/sleepov3r
Summary: Star acrobat Ty Lee has a frequent visitor at her performances.(a.k.a. an AU where Ozai never existed, the Hundred Years' War didn't happen, and Azula is allowed to be gay as hell.)
Relationships: Azula/Ty Lee (Avatar)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 296





	Walking the Tightrope

**Author's Note:**

> I imagine that in this AU Ozai either died or disappeared shortly after Azula was born, and Ursa was made Firelord in his place. Azula and Ursa have a better relationship than they do in canon, as do Azula and Zuko. The Hundred Years' War either didn't happen at all or was ended before the present time, and everything is relatively peaceful. Basically it's an AU where Nothing Bad Ever Happened Ever because I said so.

Large crowds seemed to make most people nervous. For Ty Lee, the more people who were watching her, the better she felt. Seeing the tent packed full with observers ignited a spark of excitement in her chest, and put a little extra spring in her hands and her feet as she flipped and spun across the tightrope.

One night, during the spring of her second year in the circus, the biggest audience Ty Lee had ever seen filled the tent to the bursting point. She gazed down from her perch at the bustling crowd as the ringmaster gave his usual enthusiastic patter, trying to hold her stance until it was her turn to perform, just as she’d been taught.

Then someone caught her eye. A girl who looked about her age, with dark hair and a confident look about her, was seated by the front. Though it was difficult to discern much about her from thirty feet in the air, Ty Lee could tell that the girl’s eyes were directly on her. Even as the animal tamers began their routines and the audience gasped and ooh’ed in wonder, her eyes didn’t move.

The ringmaster called for the acrobats to begin. Ty Lee flipped over onto her hands and began to walk. Sure enough, the girl’s eyes remained on her. She sprung into a cartwheel, then a backflip, earning a round of cheers from the audience. She began to improvise, making her movements bigger and wilder, whirling like a top. When she made it to the other end and the spotlight moved back down to the ground, Ty Lee was panting from exertion. She searched out the girl again and grinned, hoping she could see it.

At the night’s conclusion, Ty Lee was removing her makeup in the back tent, listening to the sound of the crowd dispersing outside. The ringmaster had been impressed with her performance today. She hummed to herself as she undid her braid and began to brush her hair.

“Would you like some help?”

A voice Ty Lee didn’t recognize spoke from behind her. She turned to find a girl a little taller than her, in red robes and dark hair in a bun. Her eyes were a sharp gold. Ty Lee’s eyes met hers, and she recognized all at once that this was the girl who had been watching her.

“I--” Ty Lee took a moment to collect her thoughts. “I’m sorry, audience members aren’t allowed back here.”

“It’s all right.” The girl waved a hand dismissively, as if she’d already taken care of it. “Here, let me.” She plucked the comb from Ty Lee’s hand, sat on a stool beside her, and began combing out the ends of her hair. Her hands were strong and moved with a high level of self-assurance. Ty Lee opened her mouth to argue but found that she couldn’t.

“What’s your name?” The strange girl asked.

“I should be asking you that.”

“I asked first.”

“Ty Lee,” Ty Lee conceded.

“I didn’t know they allowed minors to perform, especially not on the high wire.”

“They didn’t before I got here,” Ty Lee said with a hint of pride.

“You’re really quite special, then, aren’t you?”

“I like to think so.” The compliment made Ty Lee’s heart swell.

“I was certainly impressed.” The girl worked the comb through a series of knots, her brow knit in determination. “Very few can do just what you did tonight.”

“You’re very kind.”

The girl only giggled. She finished her task, stood up, and set the comb down on the dressing table. Her golden eyes shone like polished jewelry in the lamplight.

“Do you not have a name?”

“Not one that’s available to you.” She smiled and turned to go. “Thank you for entertaining me tonight.”

Ty Lee watched her go, mouth agape. She didn’t know quite how she felt--flattered, but cheated; thrilled, but disappointed. As the girl vanished from her line of sight, Ty Lee knew she would have to let her go. It was unlikely that they would ever meet again. Strange people were everywhere. It wouldn’t take much to find another one.

It took the better part of a year for the circus to travel across the entirety of the Fire Nation. Ty Lee’s nerves began to rise as they neared her home. She wondered if her family was looking for her, if they worried about her. She hadn’t heard a word from them since she’d left home at age twelve. As the circus picked up and headed for the capital again, she breathed a sigh of relief. No one had come looking for her.

The first performance back in the capital started like any other. Ty Lee waited for her cue, and flipped out onto the tightrope with arms above her head and a grin on her face. The crowd whooped and cheered, and Ty Lee dared a glance below. She nearly stumbled. In the front row was a familiar face: dark bun, golden eyes, crafty smile.

Ty Lee recovered quickly and resumed her base position. She twisted in a way that she knew would show off her long legs, then flipped to show off the muscles in her back. She did backbend after backbend, hoping that her viewer below was just as captivated as the rest.

Ty Lee sped to the costume tent as soon as the night was over. Sure enough, mere minutes later the golden-eyed girl came waltzing in, looking just as self-assured as Ty Lee remembered.

“I didn’t think I’d ever see you again,” Ty Lee said, hoping she sounded smooth.

“And yet here I am,” the girl chirped. She selected a comb off of the dressing table without waiting for permission and took Ty Lee’s braid in her hands.

“You must be quite a fan of the circus to see the same one twice.”

“I suppose,” the girl said, “although I will admit that I only came last year to spite my brother. He’s something of a theater snob. It did make quite the impression on me, though. Clearly.”

Ty Lee leaned back to make the girl’s job easier. She took the chance to sneak a glance at her face in the mirror, studying the details. Her lips were full and painted in red, and a few carefully selected strands of hair dangled by the corners of her mouth.

“Any chance of me getting your name this time?” Ty Lee asked.

“No, I don’t think so,” the girl said teasingly, “I think I like it like this.”

“What am I supposed to call you, then? Mysterious Girl? Stalker Girl?”

“Either of those are fine with me,” she replied. Ty Lee rolled her eyes but couldn’t suppress a laugh.

Mysterious Girl finished with the comb and shook her own hair out of her face. As she stood to leave, Ty Lee caught her by the hand. Her palms were warm and lightly calloused. “Can I expect to see you here again?”

“Only time will tell, Ty Lee.”

“Goodbye, then, Mysterious Girl.”

The circus soon began it’s yearly trip across the Fire Nation again. There was even talk of travelling to the Earth Kingdom, now that Firelord Ursa had officially reopened peaceful relations with multiple Earth Kingdom rulers. Ty Lee was thrilled by the idea of travelling outside of the Fire Nation, especially if it meant putting more distance between her and her family. Though she couldn’t be sure, she thought she’d spotted one of her sisters in the crowd once, and it shocked her so badly she’d nearly tumbled from the tightrope.

The circus made its way back to the capital in the spring, as usual, and Ty Lee found herself waiting with bated breath to see if Mysterious Girl would appear. Sure as the sun rose, she was in the front row, though something seemed different this time. Every time Ty Lee tried to catch her eye, she would look away. A couple times she would turn to the boy seated beside her to speak, looking cross. A knot of uncertainty formed in Ty Lee’s stomach at the sight of the boy.

Ty Lee took off her costume and makeup slowly that night, waiting for Mysterious Girl to appear. She was just about to give up and reach for the comb herself when another hand met hers.

“Please, allow me.” Mysterious Girl spoke with her usual soft purr, but she wasn’t smiling. 

“Are you all right?” Ty Lee tried not to grimace as Mysterious Girl tugged at a knot. Her grip was a little tighter than usual.

“I’ll be frank with you, Ty Lee,” Mysterious Girl said, “This may be the last show of yours I’ll get to see for a while.”

“Really? Why?”

“It’s difficult to explain.” Mysterious Girl tugged again. Ty Lee’s eyes fixed on her bottom lip, so round and red, as she bit it out of frustration. “It seems my brother and I are equally stubborn.”  
“Is he the one you were with tonight?”

“Unfortunately, yes,” Mysterious Girl sighed, and Ty Lee felt oddly relieved. “I managed to drag him outside, for once. He’s been impossible ever since his girlfriend dumped him.”

“What’s his deal?”

“Something about marriage. I’ve honestly been trying not to listen. I’m only sixteen. I don’t even want to think about getting married.”

“He wants  _ you _ to get married?”

“Well, not him, specifically. It’s expected that at least one of us will, since… well, anyways, I’m here for you, not him.”

“For me,” Ty Lee repeated.

“It seems I can’t stay away from you, Circus Girl.” She bit at her bottom lip again. Hard. Ty Lee’s hair fell from her hands, perfectly neat and tangle-free. Ty Lee swiveled around to face the Mysterious Girl.

“Well, if you ever get the chance to come back here again, you know where to find me.” Ty Lee leaned in. Mysterious Girl’s eyes were even more golden this close up, if that were possible. She leaned in further, swiftly closing the gap between them, still fixated on those lips…

“Azula!” A male voice called from just outside the tent. “We have to go!”

Mysterious Girl twitched, as if shocked out of a trance. Ty Lee was forced to lean back as the other girl jumped to her feet. Her head spun. Wasn’t Azula the name of the Fire Nation princess?

“I’ll be right there!” She called, then looked at Ty Lee, melancholy in her eyes. “I do hope we can resume this one day, Ty Lee.”

Ty Lee could only nod, still focused on putting the pieces together. Was her Mysterious Girl the princess? 

“Wait!” Ty Lee snapped out of her trance and called for her, but it was too late. Mysterious Girl--Azula--was gone.

Ty Lee slept with great difficulty that night. She considered going into town to search for Azula, but if she was truly the princess, she’d never be allowed beyond the palace gates, and her search would be pointless. All she could do was hope that Azula made her way back to the circus.

The circus, however, did not intend to make it easy. After a few days in the capital, the ringmaster officially announced their plan to travel to Ba Sing Se for their first foreign performance. Ty Lee tried her best to be excited. Ba Sing Se was supposed to be enormous and full of excitement, and the circus would only be in the Earth Kingdom for a year. But it would soon prove to be the longest year of Ty Lee’s life. Even with all the sights of the Earth Kingdom to entice her, Ty Lee found herself yearning most nights for a familiar face, dreaming of golden eyes and painted lips belonging to a forbidden girl.

On the morning of her seventeenth birthday, Ty Lee awoke to a letter from a messenger hawk. It was from her parents, asking if she planned on ever returning home. Ty Lee sat down and studied the letter for what felt like hours, unsure of how to respond. She’d been away from home for five years, free of her family’s numerous hangups and exasperating expectations. In the end, she tucked the letter away in her trunk and put it out of her mind as best as she could.

When the circus finally returned to the Fire Nation in the spring, Ty Lee couldn’t be more relieved. She was anxious to return to the capital, to see if Azula would be there. Their first performance back in the capital had a massive turnout, the biggest they’d had since Ba Sing Se. Ty Lee scanned the front row over and over as she waited for her routine to start, but she had yet to see the princess.

Suddenly the spotlight was on her, and Ty Lee dove into action. After her visit to Kyoshi Island during the Earth Kingdom tour, she’d picked up a couple new acrobatic tricks. She felt like a bird, graceful and powerful, as she swooped from tightrope to trapeze and back again. This could be her best performance yet. A shame her favorite spectator wasn’t here to see it.

The costume tent felt warm for early spring. Ty Lee doused a couple lamps as she shrugged off her tight-fitting costume and exchanged it for a loose set of pants and a sleeveless undershirt. She tossed her performance outfit aside and sighed, glad to be in something more comfortable.

“A shame,” a familiar voice purred, “I think I preferred the other clothes.”

Ty Lee whirled around. “Azula!”

“You figured me out, didn’t you?” Azula pouted, “Damn Zuko. I rather liked being Mysterious Girl.”

“I thought you said you weren’t coming back.”

“I had to come back at least once more,” Azula said, “To give you an explanation.”

“Funny,” Ty Lee said, “Seeing as you seem to love confusing me.”

Azula smirked. “Old habits die hard. But I would like to talk to you. Shall we?” She motioned to the dressing table. Ty Lee obliged and sat in her usual spot while Azula picked up the comb.

“You are Princess Azula, right?” It felt strange to ask.

“I am she,” Azula admitted, “No one else could constantly look this perfect, you know.”

“So I would assume then that your family would want you to get married for political reasons.”

“You assume correctly.”

“And hanging around the circus wouldn’t look so good for royalty.”

“My mother is a unique case,” Azula said, fingering a lock of hair absentmindedly, “She’s the first female Firelord the Fire Nation has had in decades. Centuries, even. She’s understanding about more than you would expect from a Firelord. But some things don’t change overnight. After my mother is gone, there will need to be another Firelord. My brother is older than me, so naturally it will fall to him. But after he’s gone, we will need another.”

“And that responsibility falls to you? What about him?”

“It would seem that, beyond our stubbornness, Zuko and I share exactly one common trait,” Azula went on, “We both have feelings for the same gender. We’ve been told that it doesn’t matter, so long as at least one of us has children down the line, but neither of us are willing to make that sacrifice for the other, and so we are at a standstill.”

“Spirits,” Ty Lee gasped, unsure of what else to say. A part of her still couldn’t believe that she was talking to the princess, and that the princess found her worthy of all this private family information. It could only mean that Azula had feelings for her, and her stomach filled with butterflies at the revelation.

“So it seems that, as of now, you and I can progress no further. Not until this problem is solved. I am deeply sorry, Ty Lee,” Azula said. She dropped her hands to her sides, and Ty Lee’s hair fell down her back, half unbraided. She turned to face the princess. True to her word, she looked perfect, her hair in its usual bun and her crimson robes as clean as if they’d never been worn. But her usual air of confidence was missing. Her golden eyes looked forlorn as they locked with Ty Lee’s.

“Azula.” Ty Lee took Azula’s hands in hers. They were warm--from firebending, Ty Lee now realized. “I’ll wait for you, if that’s what you want.”

“You’re sweet, Circus Girl.” Azula allowed herself a grin. Ty Lee leaned in and kissed her while her lips were still parted, and the other girl accepted graciously. The first kiss turned into a second, a third, and Ty Lee could feel Azula moan inside her mouth.

Finally Azula broke it off. She sat up, looking a little winded, some of the red of her lips smudged off. Her hands reached for Ty Lee’s braid and nimbly undid the remainder, letting brown waves cascade over her shoulders.

“You’re a gem, Ty Lee,” Azula said, “But I really must go.”

“Can I expect to see you here again?” Ty Lee said, thinking back to when she was fifteen and had last said those words to Azula. So much had shifted in their lives since then.

“Only time will tell, Ty Lee,” Azula recited back playfully.

“Goodbye, then, Mysterious Girl.” Azula gave Ty Lee one last, brief kiss on the cheek before she parted.

After the next tour of the Fire Nation, the circus returned to the Earth Kingdom. Ty Lee was happy to see Ba Sing Se and to visit Kyoshi Island again, these once strange places now starting to gain familiarity. After Kyoshi Island, they travelled up to the Northern Water Tribe, a venture that took approximately three months. Ty Lee turned twenty in that time, and suddenly living and travelling with the circus didn’t feel as comfortable as it had before. When she was twelve, she would do anything to get away from her family, and as a teenager, nothing had seemed more exciting than walking the high wire in a travelling circus. But now she was no longer a teen, and adulthood was on the near horizon. Maybe a permanent change in scenery was in order.

The circus eventually made its way back to the Fire Nation, and Ty Lee was twenty-one when she laid eyes on the capital again. It too seemed so much smaller than it once had, and while it was certainly grand, it couldn’t hold a candle to the enormity of Ba Sing Se or the elegance of the Northern Water Tribe. Nevertheless, the tent was full of spectators eager for a performance, and Ty Lee gave them all she had.

Ty Lee stepped into the costume tent, tired but satisfied, at the end of the night. She removed her makeup and changed her clothes, then sat and picked up the comb. She held it in her hands for a moment, turning it this way and that. It didn’t feel right to do this on her own. Maybe she would just leave her hair up tonight.

“Allow me.”

Ty Lee didn’t even have to look as Azula took the comb from her hand and sat down behind her.

“Princess.” Ty Lee smiled at her in the mirror. “It’s a pleasure to see you again.”

“No need to be so formal, Ty Lee,” Azula told her with a smirk, “I’m here for you, after all.”

“Does this mean what I think it means?” Ty Lee could hardly contain her joy, her smile growing wider and wider.

Azula nodded, and suddenly she was smiling, too. “My brother was here with me tonight, along with my adopted niece. She’s quite the energetic little girl, always cartwheeling about. Reminds me a little bit of someone I know.”

“Azula!” Ty Lee turned and tackled the other woman, hugging her tight. The comb fell from Azula’s hands, forgotten.

“How would you feel about a position at the palace?” Azula asked, her voice low in Ty Lee’s ear, “The new princess could use a bodyguard.”

“I’ll do it,” Ty Lee said, “On one condition.”

“What would that be?”

“I get to see the old princess on occasion, too.”

“I think that could be arranged,” Azula murmured. Ty Lee kissed her, and she could feel the princess smile, her fingers tangled up in Ty Lee’s hair.


End file.
